Desire
by Lucia Geuse
Summary: Cartoon based. Lydia is grown and graduated from high school. Beetlejuice has watched her grow from a pretty girl to a beautiful woman. Can they admit their feelings for one another and take their friendship to a whole new level?
1. Rainy Day Blues

Disclaimer: I am a poor college student and I own nothing.

I have been writing fan fiction for years, but this is the first time I have actually submitted any for others to read. You all have inspired me and I hope that you enjoy my story. Please review, I love hearing what you have to say.

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Lydia stared out the window of her bedroom. The dark and billowing clouds threatened rain. Not that she minded, today felt like a dark day. She'd spent most of the morning in a grudge match with Delia over whether or not she was going to go to college. Lydia didn't feel like it was necessary to spend all those years listening to things she cared nothing about to get a degree that was pointless to her anyway. She had won numerous rewards for her photography and already had a few galleries in New York showing interest in her artwork. She just didn't feel like she needed to go, at least not yet. She felt a dull throb behind her eyes beat just enough to annoy her.

"Why are you so down in the mouth Babes?" Beetlejuice, the only person who could ever make her smile, said from the mirror. She turned around to look at him and smiled slightly.

"Hi Beej. I just had a major fight with Delia." She didn't try to stop the bitterness that flowed out of her.

"Tell you what, say those magic words and then you can give me all the details in person." He said leaning casually against the frame of the mirror. Lydia giggled and nodded.

"Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice." She said and with a flash he was in her room.

"Okay Babes, tell me what's up this time." He said sitting down next to her on her bed. Lydia sighed and closed her eyes.

"She wants me to go to college and I don't think that I need to go." Just thinking about what Delia said made Lydia fume again. _I have provided you with a decent life Lydia. I have raised you like you were my own daughter when I married you father. The very least you could do is go away and leave us alone. You are grown up and have caused your father more grief than he deserves with your antics over the years and you are being selfish and mean to continue to stay here._

Beetlejuice watched Lydia, his Babes, as she fumed. She had grown her hair out for the past few years so now her silky, raven hair reached just past her slender waist. With her creamy porcelain skin against the richness of her hair she had a look of an exotic and rare beauty. She turned to face him and he saw directly into her clear navy blue eyes. He had observed those eyes so closely over the past years that he knew each and every fleck violet that was laced through them. The slight angle of her large almond shaped eyes and the length of her lashes. In the sunlight her eyes were a mixture of deep purple and blue, but in the moonlight they were almost black. Her lips were the color of light pink petals, soft and full and the dull pink stain on her high cheeks made him suck in his breath. He'd watched her transform from a pretty young girl to an extraordinarily beautiful woman. He felt a large tug of lust for her, something that had been growing for a long time. He pushed it aside and ignored it.

"Why don't you want to go to college?" He asked. Lydia glanced down for a brief second before looking at her best friend. He wasn't exactly handsome in a conventional sort of way, but she had never been a conventional sort of girl. Even though he was a ghost he had a charm and sexuality about him. His luminous dark green eyes and pale skin made her stomach flutter every time she saw him. She shook her head to bring her back before she did something stupid.

"I don't want to leave this place Beej. I love everything about Peaceful Pines and I don't want to go back to a big city anymore. I don't want to go to college and sit through classes I don't care about." She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Sounds like you've got a really predicament there Lyds. Don't worry we'll figure it out." He didn't know what else he could say. He certainly didn't want her to leave, but he couldn't tell her why.

"Lydia, we have a few more things we would like to discuss with you." Delia called from down the stairs. She had that fake, sweet voice that made Lydia groan. She grabbed Beetlejuice's lapels on his black and white stripped jacket and pulled his face close to hers.

"Take me to the Neitherworld BJ. If I don't get out of this house right now I can't be held responsible for what I do to that woman." She pleaded with him. He stared into her rich eyes and melted. How could he deny her? He placed his cool hands on her warm ones and held on to them.

"Anything for you Babes." He smiled when she held onto his hands as they disappeared into the Neitherworld just seconds before Delia opened up Lydia's door.


	2. Nature Walk

When they arrived at the Roadhouse Lydia had changed from her everyday clothes to her Neitherworld clothes. They had changed slightly over the years. Her dark red spider web poncho now only reached her waist and hung down her right shoulder showing her creamy skin. She wore a pair of black leggings that came to her knees showing strong, toned calf muscles to her black boots. She kept her gloves with her fingers exposed and wore a pair of silver earrings that dropped down with beetles hanging from them. A gift from Beetlejuice on her sixteenth birthday. She pulled her long hair up and wrapped it in a loose pony tail that hung down to her shoulders, a few wisps falling out around her face. Even though they had just arrived she already felt her headache starting to disappear.

"Hi ya Lydia. It's been a while since you've been here. I was beginning to miss you." Ginger said smiling her large, sweet smile when they walked into the living-dead room.

"Bonjour Lydia, comment allez-vous?" Jacques asked giving her a boney hug.

"I am doing much better now, thank you Jacques. I'm sorry I haven't been around here lately, but with finals I just didn't have much time. Now that I don't have anymore school I can spend a lot more time here. You guys have no idea how much I missed you and being in the Neitherworld." Lydia said. When they smiled and she could feel the genuine warmth and friendship radiating from, not just Beetlejuice, but everyone. She felt the weight being lifted off of her shoulders. Even though she had a few friends in the real world, she always felt like she was different from them, never really gaining their true friendship. Here, she was always welcome.

"How's about we go for a walk in the Neitherwoods, the fresh air will do you some good." Beetlejuice said and grabbed her hand, heading for the door. After a quick goodbye to Jacques and Ginger they headed for the woods. "Feelin' any better Babes?" He asked after a while.

"Much better BJ. You always know how to make me feel good." Lydia said looking up at the tall trees and beautiful scenery. Beetlejuice looked at her out of the corner of his eye. God she smelled so good, she always smelled like fresh flowers with something very earthy, moss and cedar. It was the perfect combination for her. He loved when she had a small smile playing on the corner of her mouth. It was hidden, but always there. Without thinking he reached out and grabbed her hand. She was so warm and soft. His mind told him that he shouldn't have taken the risk, but somewhere deep in his heart he couldn't stop himself.

Lydia felt Beetlejuice grasp her hand. When his cool touch reached her warm skin she felt a bolt of energy course through her. It made her hand feel like it had just woken up from being asleep, each and every nerve heightened to a euphoric degree. She glanced at him and felt brave. She laced her fingers with his and rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb.

Beetlejuice felt the intimate touch and looked over at her. Lydia turned to face him and a sheepish smile spread on her face. She looked so innocent and beautiful it made his heart ache just to look at her.

"You could make a ghost blush Lyds." He said looking away for a split second. Lydia's smile vanished and she drew her eyes together in confusion.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Lyds," He started and ran a hand through his disheveled hair. He watched her bite her lower lip and chew it. She always did that when she was either nervous or studying. It made her look irresistible. "You make me feel..." Why did she have to look so damn beautiful and innocent? It wasn't fair. "Forget it Babes." He wanted to shout to the world how he felt about her, but he just couldn't make himself do it. He started to walk again and he felt her hand slip away from his. He stopped and turned around. Lydia stood rooted to her stop, her arms hanging at her sides.

"I make you feel what Beej? Tell me please." She was pleading with him. He looked at her and saw something in her eyes. It was fear, but fear of what? Him? He couldn't take that.

Lydia's heart was racing and she was more afraid of what was going to come out of his mouth than anything else she had ever experienced. He wasn't looking at her, but down at the ground and it looked like he was battling with himself, not sure of what he wanted to say. Finally he lifted his head to look at her.

"Lydia, I've watched you grow from a girl into a woman. I've made you laugh and held you while you cried. I've been there for both the good and the bad. Babes, every time I see you, you make me go weak at the knees." He'd spit it out and felt the words hang between them. Lydia didn't say anything while she took in his words. He felt like the sandworms would be less painful than this, this waiting.

"Beej, you're my best friend,"

"That's why I didn't want to say anything." He said frustrated and feeling like his heart was breaking into a thousand pieces.

"Beetlejuice please, let me finish." Lydia reached for him, desperation in her voice. "Since I met you my feelings have not changed. They have grown. You made me feel safe and protected, but over time you've made my heart race and skin tingle. Every time I see you my stomach plummets and I get a lump in my throat."

Beetlejuice stood in his spot and absorbed what she had said. He looked at her as she waited for him to respond. He opened and closed his mouth, but couldn't seem to find the right words. When he saw her cast her eyes down and start rubbing her arms, looking so vulnerable he finally snapped out of his trance. He walked over to her and with his long, red tipped finger he lifted her chin so she was looking at him.

Without saying a word he leaned in and touched his lips to hers, butterfly soft. It wasn't like any other feeling he had ever experienced, but had dreamed of for a long time. He felt Lydia's arms slowly come up and wrap around his neck and he slipped his hands around her slim waist. He deepened the kiss and unleashed the feelings he had held in check for so long.

Lydia shuddered when he kissed her and immediately wanted more. She felt him deepen the kiss and she opened her mouth to allow more in. He tasted so good, dark and exotic and she ran her hands up his neck and tangled them in his hair drawing him deeper into her.


	3. Midnight Visit

Lydia laid awake in her bed thinking of the afternoon. Her lips still tingled from the kiss she shared with Beetlejuice. She knew that moment had changed her life forever. She closed her eyes and relived that moment over and over in her mind.

They broke the kiss Lydia had to catch herself before her legs gave out on her. She slowly opened her eyes and was startled to find her eyesight slightly blurred.

"Are you okay?" Beetlejuice asked. He was shaking so bad he had to hold on to a trunk of a tree to stable himself.

"Maybe, I'm not sure yet." She whispered. Her heart was beating so hard that she thought that it would beat straight out of her chest. He chuckled just a bit and took a deep breath. He wasn't sure if he was alright yet or not either. He knew that it would be good, but he didn't know it would be that good.

They stared at each other for a few seconds and tried to figure out what was going on. Since neither of them could figure out anything to say they decided to walk back to the Roadhouse and Lydia turned to go back home.

"Beej, I'll see you soon." It was the only thing she could think. Beetlejuice just chuckled and gave her a kiss on her forehead. He knew that if he were to kiss her again on the mouth he wouldn't be able to stop. She kissed her fingers and touched his lips and left to go back to her bedroom.

Of course the second she arrived back to her home she was confronted by Delia who demanded to know where she was and she was forced to endure another two hours of "family discussions". In other words she had to sit at the table and listen to Delia yell and complain while her father sat in the corner and tried to ignore the whole scene by reading a magazine.

When she was able to she made her way up the stairs back to her sanctuary away from her step-mother. She slipped on a black long silk nightgown and sat on her bed to brush her hair. The clouds had broken up and the moonlight shined through casting shadows through the window.

Now that she was in bed, she couldn't stop thinking about Beetlejuice. Just seeing his face in her mind made her anxious and excited and she knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight, not after everything that happened. She yanked the covers off of her and felt the slight chill rush on her, it only made her more excited. She slipped on a pair of slippers and glanced into the mirror on her desk. When she saw herself in the mirror she was surprised at how different she looked. Her skin seemed almost liquid white against the black of her nightgown and hair. Her eyes seemed twice as large and luminous, the deep sapphire blue almost black in the moonlight. She licked her lips and felt her skin tingling.

"Though I know I should be weary, still I venture someplace scary, ghostly haunting I turn loose, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice" Lydia said in a low voice. She was taken back to the Neitherworld.

She wasn't that far from the Roadhouse and walked down the street, her nightgown billowing around her ankles. She slipped inside the door, careful not to wake anyone and quietly opened up Beetlejuice's bedroom door. She saw him sleeping in his coffin bed and smiled. She quietly walked over to him and watched him sleep for a moment. He was so adorable curled up on his side in his beetle pajamas. She bent down next to his face and stroked his hair with her hand.

"BJ, can you hear me?" She whispered into his ear. He stirred, but it wasn't loud enough for him to break his sleep. She didn't mind and just continued to whisper in his ear and stroke his hair.

Beetlejuice thought he heard someone calling his name, but it seemed far away. He felt a slight scrap of a fingernail against his forehead. He managed to open his eyes and saw something above his head. He blinked a few times and slowly the figure came into focus. It was Lydia. What was she doing here? God she looked so sexy, it made him feel feverish. The moonlight was streaked across her face so he could see her deep blue eyes and creamy skin.

"Lyds? What are you doing here? Is there anything wrong?" He managed to say as he propped himself up on an elbow. She just smiled, but it wasn't a strong one. He saw a bit of nervousness in her as she shook her head.

"No nothing is wrong BJ. I couldn't sleep and I wanted to see you." She paused as he pulled himself up on his bed and looked at her. "I couldn't stop thinking about this afternoon." She added in a husky voice. That was the last thing he needed to be reminded of. Just thinking about it made him break out into a cold sweat.

"I couldn't either Babes, it's the only thing I've been thinking about."

"Me too and I decided I wanted more." She said and with all the courage she possessed she sat on the bed next to him and leaned in. She placed a delicate hand on his chest and touched her lips to his. She heard him groan deep in his throat and put his arms around her waist to pull her in. She smiled against his mouth and pressed harder.

He was lost in her scent and the feel of her, but somewhere in his mind he had the strength to pull back and look at her. She was just as breathless as he was as she looked at him in question.

"Lyds I know that you've never done anything like this before. Are you sure you want to?" He needed to know what she was thinking about. Lydia slowly started to catch her breath and cocked her head to one side. It made her hair fall down on either side of her shoulder and the strap slip down her arm. Beetlejuice barely managed to get a hold of himself when he saw her like that.

"I know what I'm doing BJ. I know what I want and what I want is you." She said and leaned in. It was all the conformation that he needed as he pulled her close to him, locking his lips with hers. He traced down her neck and to her shoulder. He didn't think she could taste any better, but she did, her scent was more intense on the hallow of her neck and collarbone. He wanted and needed more of her.

Lydia pulled her head back and kept her hands on his shoulders as he worked his way down her body. Each time he kissed her she felt electric shocks course through her body. She pulled him back to her lips and reached for the buttons of his shirt, unbuttoning them slowly. When she reached the last button she slipped her hands inside and felt his cool body vibrate. He looked at her, looking for any sign that she might be uncomfortable with this. She only smiled at him and nodded. He slipped the straps of her nightgown off and sucked in his breath. She was absolutely gorgeous, her porcelain skin seemed to never end.

"Lyds, Babes, before I can't talk anymore I want you to know that I would never hurt you." He managed to say.

"I know Beej, I trust you, completely." She whispered. He smiled and bent his head down as soon as he could to feel every piece of skin. Lydia ran her hands up and down his back and into his hair. He gradually slid her nightgown off of her until there was nothing left between them. The entire time Beetlejuice constantly reminded himself to think of Lydia first. He took things slowly with her. He gave her time to respond and feel comfortable. They had all the time in the world.

Lydia stopped thinking the moment he touched her skin, she only reacted and hoped that she was doing things right. As he worked his way around her body she heard herself moaning from deep inside. Everything seemed to be heightened and she was very aware of her surroundings. She kissed every bit of him that she could reach and knew that she made the right choice about coming to him.

He had to make sure that Lydia had the best experience he could give her. He did not want her to regret anything. He slowly made his way to her and felt the heat course through her body. He looked up to watch her as he found her. He watched the surprise flash across her face, but it almost immediately melted away as she relaxed. It was almost impossible for him to keep himself in check, but he managed as he watched her face.

Lydia never knew she could feel what she was feeling, the pressure that built up inside of her seemed almost impossible, but it was there and it kept growing. She looked down to see Beetlejuice watching her, making sure he wasn't hurting her. All she could think of was that if this was pain, she would be happy to endure it every second of the rest of her life and afterlife. Suddenly she felt the pressure build even higher before she felt like she exploded and then all thought stopped.

Beetlejuice watched her eyes glaze over just before she threw her head back and went into a small convulsion. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life. He reached up and kissed her open mouth while she recovered. She opened her arms for him and pulled him over her body.

"How you feel Babes?" He asked in between kisses. She moved her head from side to side and moaned.

"Wonderful, come to me BJ, please." She said wrapping her arms and legs around him. He knew that since he gave her pleasure it would make things a lot easier for her. He took things as slowly as he could and she encouraged him with her feather light touch and kisses. It was the most wonderful night he'd ever had, ever. When he looked down at Lydia he knew there was no one else for him.


	4. Decisions

Lydia laid her head on Beetlejuice's shoulder and never wanted to leave that spot. Her heartbeat had finally come down and she felt languid and wonderful. She closed her eyes and ran her fingers over his chest. He dropped a kiss the top of her head and sighed.

"Lyds?" He asked after a few moments.

"Mmm?"

"Babes, I think you should go to college." Lydia only nodded until his words sank in. She pulled herself out of his arms and glared at him. Her afterglow gone and she looked furious.

"After all of that you are taking _Delia's_ side? I don't even know what to say. I just can't believe it." She fell back and stared up at the ceiling.

"Babes, listen to me. I'm not on Delia's side. I just want the best for you. You deserve the best. You don't need to stay here just for me, I'll always be here for you." His voice cracked and he hated himself for that, but he knew that he was doing the right thing. She didn't say anything for a long time, but she didn't leave her spot next to him so that gave him some comfort.

"It wouldn't be the same Beej, I'd be so busy with classes that we wouldn't have any time together. I'd miss you so much." She felt the tears well up in her eyes and felt humiliated at them.

"Things are never going to be the same Lyds. Not after tonight, not ever. Yeah we wouldn't see each other as much, but we'd still see each other. It's not like it will be four years before we see each other again. There will be weekends and holidays. You know that all you have to do is call me whenever you need me and I'll be there." He felt something hot and wet hit is skin and realized that she was silently crying. He turned on his side and pressed her close to him. She buried her face in his chest and shuddered with her silent tears. He rubbed her back and kissed her head, trying everything he could to make her feel better.

Lydia lifted her head and gave a big sniff. Beetlejuice gently brushed away the last of her tears as she looked at him.

"I just don't want anything to keep us apart Beej. You're everything to me."

"Nothing will ever keep us apart, least of all your education. The fact is Lyds, is that your alive, I'm not. You need to have the best life you can, while you can. This is something that you might not think is important now, but you will think so later on. You know I can't make you do anything Babes, you need to make your own decision about this, but I am hoping that you take what I said into consideration." He rubbed her arms when she nodded against him. When she lifted her head to look at him, her eyes were starting to turn red from the tears.

"I know BJ, but tonight I just want to lay here, with you. I don't want to make any decisions tonight, but I will think about everything you said." She felt tired as she spoke, but she felt protected and comforted in his arms when he smiled down at her. It was a sad smile, but it was there. She snuggled back into his arms and fell asleep, her arm wrapped around his chest and his arm wrapped around her waist.

"Lyds wake up." Beetlejuice gently shook her awake. She slowly opened her eyes and stretched.

"What's the matter BJ?" She mumbled against his chest.

"Nothing is the matter Babes, but you should probably get going. Chuck and Deliah would freak if they walked in your bedroom and found nada." He stroked her hair and she just groaned and rolled over.

"I don't care what they think. They don't know where I am and I don't want to go back just yet."

"Babes, you know that you can't do that. If you go disappearing into the night, they are going to start suspecting something." If he could he would stay like this forever, but he knew that it wasn't going to happen. Not now anyway.

Lydia sighed. She knew that he was right. Even though her father and Deliah weren't the smartest people on the planet, they would start to get suspicious eventually. She sat up in the coffin bed and searched for her nightgown.

"What time is it anyway BJ?" She asked in a yawn.

"Around five in the morning. That should give you enough time to get back into your room and make it look like you've slept there all night." He said looking at the clock. She just nodded and slipped on her nightgown. She looked at Beetlejuice and smiled. His hair was standing on end and he seemed to have almost a soft, warm side to him.

"What are ya looking at Babes?" He asked smiling at her. She shook her head and got up.

"I was just thinking about how cute you are. You are you know." She watched him shrug into his pajama bottoms and get up with her. He stood up and gently grabbed her arm, pulling her to him. She rested her head on his chest and sighed. "I'll be back as soon as I can, or maybe you can come to me." She said feeling his skin against her cheek. It felt so good, so right.

"You know it Babes, all you gotta do is ask."

Lydia stepped onto the soft carpet in her bedroom and sighed. She felt like this was a place that she was visiting, rather than her own home. She slipped underneath her cold sheets and curled up into a ball. She thought about Beetlejuice's body next to her and she was able to fall back to sleep for an hour.

"I've thought about it last night and I think that I might try the college thing for a little while." Lydia said to her father and Delia a few hours later at the table. She wanted to slap the smug look off Delia's face when she looked at her.

"I'm so glad that you decided to see things our way Lydia dear." She said in that overly fake sweet voice of hers. That voice grated on every nerve Lydia had.

"Where have you decided to go to Pumpkin?" Charles asked from behind his newspaper. Lydia wondered why she even bothered talking with her father. He might as well just disappear rather than hide behind a book or newspaper.

"There's a nice art school in Fairfield. It's only a few hours away so I can come home and visit if I want to." She said shrugging.

"Sounds good Pumpkin, you'll have fun I'm sure."

"You're staying in Connecticut? Why don't you want to go to New York where all of the good colleges are?" Delia asked, her chest puffing out.

"I'm going to college, that should be good enough Delia." Lydia said coldly before she got up to walk out of the door.


	5. Lies and Goodbyes

Lydia decided to walk into town, she wanted to be by herself and think a while. She knew that by the end of the summer she would have to leave. She only had a few precious months with Beetlejuice before she left. The road into town was long, but she didn't mind the exercise. She really didn't know where she was going, but she wanted to be out of the house, away from Delia.

"Lydia, what are you doing in town?" Bertha asked walking up to her.

"Hello Bertha, I just felt like taking a walk, get away from you-know-who." Lydia didn't really want to talk with anyone, but not she didn't have much of a choice. She smiled and hoped that it looked sincere. It must have passed because Bertha smiled and walked over to her.

"I was just going to meet Prudence at the café for some coffee. Why don't you join us?" Lydia knew it wasn't a question, she couldn't outright refuse Bertha's offer and not be able to explain herself, so she politely nodded her head and followed Bertha into the small café where Prudence was saving a table.

"Hi Lydia, when did you come into town?" She asked after they had ordered their coffee. "She just got here, walked from her house." Bertha said before Lydia was even able to open up her mouth. She smiled and nodded her head in agreement. Prudence cocked her head to the side expecting more of an explanation, but Lydia didn't say anything further.

"So have you guys decided what you are going to do now that we are free from high school hell?" Bertha asked changing the subject.

"I just found out that I have been accepted into Princeton, I was a little worried about that." Prudence said smiling shyly.

"That's great Prudence, I am going to head to the U of C. Where are you going Lydia?" Bertha asked. Lydia took a sip of her hot coffee and gave a small sigh.

"I'm heading to an art school in Fairfield."

"Really? I would have thought that you would have gone to New York or someplace over in Europe. You are really staying in Connecticut?" Bertha asked.

"I'm shocked too, I would have thought that you would have been accepted into some art school in New York too. You certainly have the talent for it." Prudence said quietly. Lydia knew that they would be shocked. Everyone wanted her to head to the big city. These days, it just didn't appeal to her.

"There's something else that's bothering you isn't there?" Prudence asked, causing Lydia to look at her with mild shock on her face. It was that obvious? Oh God, they would want to know what was going on.

"No there isn't. I just didn't want to go back to the big city. I am used to the peaceful country life now. I like it." Lydia hoped that it would be a good enough answer.

"I don't think that's quite it." Prudence said watching Lydia's body language.

"You met a guy didn't you." Bertha blurted out. Lydia's head shot up as she stared open-mouthed at Bertha. She knew the moment she did, she had outed herself. The wide smiles grew on their faces and she could have kicked herself.

"Now that you mention it, you do seem a bit different Lydia. I can't put my finger on it, but you're different." Prudence said thoughtfully. There was no way they were going to believe her if she said that nothing was different. She sighed and tried to think of something fast.

"Yes, I met someone. When my father, Delia and I went to go look at different colleges, there was this guy at the art school. Well we hit it off, I suppose that's part of the reason that I'm staying here." She said and smiled sheepishly. It seemed like a reasonable thing to happen. When Bertha and Prudence smiled widely at each other she knew they had bought it. She relaxed a little bit inside herself and settled into her chair.

"So tell us, what's he like?" Bertha asked leaning forward in interest.

"Oh he's sweet, cute. Knows how to make me laugh. I don't know we just clicked. After he gave us a tour of the school we sat down and had coffee and we just talked about everything." Thinking about Beetlejuice in a conventional sort of way didn't technically make it straight out lying right? Just a small white lie, she just omitted the fact that he'd been dead for over six hundred years.

"Oh that's so cute." Bertha sighed. "Man, I hope that I meet someone when I head to college."

"I'm sure you will Bertha and you too Prudence." Lydia said smiling.

"Oh I don't know about that. I will have so many classes at Princeton that I'm sure I won't have time to date." Prudence said shaking her head. "What's his name Lydia?"

"Oh, um..BJ" She said.

"BJ?" Bertha asked, an eyebrow shooting up.

"Yes, stands for Brian James or John, something like that. He just goes by BJ though." She said trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

"Nice." Both of them seemed to dismiss it after that, talking of what to bring when they leave and how they were going to keep in touch.

Throughout the summer Lydia spent as little time at her home as possible. It didn't seem to bother her parents when she would walk out of the door and not say anything to them and if it did they certainly didn't say anything to her about it. She loved being in the Neitherworld and spending time with Beetlejuice. They slept together almost every night, each time was just as amazing as the first.

During the first part of the summer she would come home and spend time with her parents eating dinner in silence, but eventually she just stopped coming home at night. She stayed with Beetlejuice, snuggled against his side wanting the morning to never come. But it always did and she would have to slid back through to her bedroom, pretending she'd been there the whole time. She'd never been one to feel comfortable with lying to her parents, but oddly enough it didn't bother her to spit out something false when they asked her where she was and what she was doing. It had taken almost a month before her father asked her to come into his study and talk with him.

"Pumpkin I have noticed that you haven't been spending much time here lately. Is there something that's going on?" He asked when he sat down behind his desk. Lydia stood there and instead of feeling nervous or guilty she simply smiled at her father.

"Why would you think there is something going on Dad? Someone saw some of my artwork and they wanted to know if I could paint a picture for them. I've been going to their house for the job." The words flowed so freely and each and every one of them was false. It seemed to make her father relax and he smiled and shooed her away so he could return to what he was reading. She slid up to her room and called for Beetlejuice.

"I think I've been rubbing off on you too much Babes." He said with a sly smile on his face. She just laughed and shook her head.

"You could never rub off too much on me Beej."

The week before Lydia was supposed to leave for college she could barely get out of bed. Her stomach was tied up in knots and her head ached constantly.

"Pumpkin are you feeling okay?" Charles asked peeking in her room. She turned her pale face to him. She had lost weight and it showed in her face. He was shocked to see her like this.

"I think I caught the stomach flu Dad. I just need to rest and sleep it off." She said weakly. There was no way she was going to tell him that she was lovesick. He just nodded and turned to go when she turned away from him. She wanted to go to the Neitherworld desperately, but she didn't have the energy knowing that her time with Beetlejuice was almost gone.

"Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice." She said weakly. She closed her eyes and waited.

"Babes! What happened to you?" Beetlejuice asked rushing to her bed and scooping her up in his arms. She smiled and touched his cheek with her hand. She didn't say anything but when she saw that he had lost weight too and his eyes were just a bit red, she knew he'd been going through the same thing.

"I'm going to miss you too much Beej. I don't want to go through with this." She said. It was the best thing that he had heard, but he knew that she was just scared of leaving home and leaving him. This was the best thing for her.

"Lydia, you'll be okay. You are strong Babes, before you know it you'll have a break and we can spend some real time together." He didn't believe what he said, but if it made her feel a little better then he would say it. He rubbed her back while he spoke to her. She sighed and closed her eyes.

"Somehow I don't think so and I don't think you think that either." She said. When he didn't say anything she looked up at him. "Beej, stay with me."

"I'm not going anywhere Babes." He said and dropped a kiss on her head. She smiled and just laid on the bed with him. She always felt safe in his arms.

The last few days seemed to disappear and Lydia was trying to hold off tears as she slowly dressed. She had chosen her outfit very carefully. A white suit with small back pinstripes running down the blazer and trousers. She had pulled her hair up into a simple pony tail letting the waves fall where they were and put on her favorite silver beetle earrings. When she bent down to put on her black boots Beetlejuice appeared in her mirror. He didn't say anything as he watched her zip the long boots up and fix the legs of her pants. When she looked back up she was surprised, but that melted away almost immediately.

"Beej, I wasn't sure if you were going to come." Lydia said relief in her words.

"Are you kidding me Babes? Dead horses couldn't stop me from seeing you today." He tried to joke around his sadness.

"Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice" She said and he appeared in her bedroom. They stood apart from each other for a few moments, not knowing what exactly they could say to one another.

"Lyds, you look amazing." He said looking her up and down. Black and white always did wonders for her looks.

"Thanks." Lydia said flattered. Before she knew it she closed the distance between them and she was in his arms. She didn't cry, but just felt the comfort in his arms. They held each other for a moment before Beetlejuice gently pulled her away.

"Before I forget, I have something for you." He said reaching into his pocket. He watched her as she cocked her head to one side in curiosity. "I wanted you to have something that would always remind you of me." He withdrew a slender black velvet box.

"Oh Beej, you didn't have to get me anything." She gushed embarrassed and excited at the same time.

"Of course I did Babes." He said as he gave her the box. She ran her fingers over the soft velvet before opening it. When she did she gasped at what she saw. There sitting in black satin was a silver chain with one perfect ruby.

"Oh Beej, you shouldn't have." She whispered pulling the chain out and holding it.

"Yes I should have. I saw that and knew immediately it was all you." He took the chain from her and placed it around her neck. The ruby sat just inches below the hallow of her neck, right over her heart. It shined with all the fire it possessed and probably more. She felt a shiver run down her spine when the cool silver and cool fingers touched her warm skin.

"It's absolutely beautiful Beej." She breathed staring at the ruby in the mirror.

"I"m glad you like it." He said and kissed her temple. She spun around in his arms and pulled his face to hers, opening her mouth to have more. Beetlejuice held onto her back and kept her so tight against him that they almost blended together. It seemed like the kiss could go on forever into eternity and it still wouldn't be enough. When they finally did part Lydia put her head on his chest.

"Why does it have to be so hard?" She whispered. He sighed and thought about that for a moment.

"The only thing that I can figure is that if it wasn't hard then it wouldn't feel as good. And I don't know about you Babes, but this feels pretty damn good to me." He rubbed her back and she just sighed as a response.

"Lydia, it's time for you to get going." Delia called from downstairs. Lydia felt the tears start to form and tried to brush them away before they came on full force.

"I guess this is it Beej." She managed to say. He cupped her cheek and held it.

"Only for a little while. You'll see how the time will fly." He didn't believe himself, but he hoped that it would help her. He gave her one more intimate kiss, softer, but no less devastating.

"It's time Lyds, say those magic B words." He held onto her hand as she shook with emotion.

"Beetlejuice...Beetlejuice," She said chocking on her words. Her throat seemed to close up and she shook her head.

"Come on Babes." He urged her. The pain in her voice nearly sent him to his knees, but he had to be strong for her.

"Beetlejuice." She said chocking on the word and tears. When he disappeared back into the Neitherworld she broke down and gave into her sobs and full force.

"Lydia, hurry or you'll hit the traffic." Delia said more forceful from down the stairs. Lydia pulled herself together and wiped away the tears. She took a few deep breaths, put on her lipstick and a pair of sunglasses.

"Well it's about time." Delia said when Lydia walked down the stairs with her purse.

"Why the sunglasses Pumpkin?" Her father asked.

"Glare on the road." She said in a monotone voice. With a few quick hugs she was on the road away from everything she held dear. She felt the ruby against her skin and gave a slight smile.


	6. Hooky

The first few weeks of school were near disastrous for Lydia. She couldn't find her classes, kept getting confused and couldn't seem to concentrate on anything. All she wanted to do was see Beetlejuice. She tried every weekend to come home, but when she planned on it, something would always fall through. She would have a test or paper due that she could not miss and she would have to suffer the long weekends alone in her room. She couldn't sleep and hardly ate, but she consumed herself in her work. It was her only distraction, her only comfort when she was away.

Her roommate, Meghan, cast an indifferent eye towards her. She couldn't understand why Lydia couldn't get her head on straight. This was college, supposed to be the best years of their lives and Lydia was digging an early grave for herself.

"Lydia, why don't you take a break and go down to get something to eat?" She urged, breaking Lydia's concentration on her notes.

"I'm not very hungry Meghan, just go without me." She said, slightly irritated, but more exhausted.

"I'm not hungry either, but you are wasting away. You need to relax, go out for a few drinks. Get plastered for God's sakes and start having some fun." Meghan never studied and stayed out until all hours of the night at one party or another.

"I don't want to."

"Okay you have to tell me what's up with you. Why are you killing yourself?" Meghan said in a forceful voice. Lydia slowly turned her head and Meghan was a little shocked to see dark bruises underneath her eyes. When Lydia first arrived she was withdrawn and sad, but Meghan could see that she was very pretty. Now her cheeks were almost a grayish pale and her eyes seemed sunken in. Her eyes were dull and red from crying and lack of sleep.

"I miss him so much." She said in a shaky voice. She knew that she was going to start crying again, but she couldn't imagine how. She would have thought that all of her tears would have been long gone by now.

"Miss who?" Meghan urged her sitting cross-legged on the floor next to Lydia's desk.

"BJ."

"Who's that?"

"He's my boyfriend. I had to leave him to come here and I can't stand it anymore." She felt like he was a drug that she needed in order to survive.

"Why don't you go visit him?" She urged in a soft, comforting voice.

"I have all this work to do, I can't leave until it's done, besides tomorrow's Friday and I have to go to class." She sounded miserable. Meghan thought about that for a moment and then snapped her fingers and popped up, pushing Lydia out of her chair.

"You need to see him girl, or you will be six feet under before midterms." She said typing furiously at the computer.

"What are you doing?" Lydia asked sitting down on her bed after being pushed off. Meghan just continued typing and then hit send. She turned around with a big smile on her face.

"You can thank me now."

"Thank you for what?" Lydia raised an eyebrow looking at her roommate.

"I just sent an email to all of your professors saying that you were deathly ill and couldn't make it to class and I asked for an extension on your papers." She said smiling. Lydia didn't know whether to be amused or upset and began pacing the room.

"That means they all think that I'm going to die. What am I going to tell them when I come back?" She asked placing her hands on her hips.

"Lydia, if you don't go see that man of yours now you will be dead. You need this break to relax and hopefully when you come back you'll be a little bit better." Meghan grabbed Lydia's suitcase and began throwing clothes in it. Everything was happening so fast that Lydia barely had time to react to anything. She took her suitcase and was shoved out the door.

"I don't want to see you until Monday." Meghan said and waved goodbye. It wasn't until Lydia was halfway down the road that she realized that she would be seeing Beetlejuice for a whole three days.


	7. Homecoming

This is a short chapter I know, but like most of my stories, I have to take a bit to set up. Please be patient with me, everything is unfolding and taking it's time. It's surprising me a bit too. I never know where a story will take me while I'm writing it. This chapter and the next surprised me a bit and I hope you're surprised too. Again I love reviews, please feel free.

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Lydia raced home, praying that she wouldn't get a speeding ticket on her way. When she arrived at the house she saw her father and Delia just about to climb into the car.

"Pumpkin, we weren't expecting to see you." Her father said a bit uneasy.

"Classes were cancelled and I had a break." She said waving her hand in the air. "Are you two going somewhere?" She asked pulling her suitcase out of the trunk.

"Yes, we were actually heading up to New York this weekend." Delia said waiting to get into the car.

"Great. I'll have a little peace and quiet while you guys have a vacation." She said giving her father and Delia a quick hug and walking into the house.

"Do you think we should let her stay here by herself?" Charles asked hoping that he might be able to get out of spending the time and money in New York.

"She's almost nineteen years old Charles, she can spend a weekend by herself. Let's go, I want to get settled into our hotel and do a little shopping before the night is out." Delia climbed into the passenger side and waited. Charles sighed and sent a look up before climbing into the driver's seat and starting the car.

Lydia raced up to her room and ran to her mirror.

"Beetlejuice." She called. Instantly she saw him staring at her in disbelief.

"Lyds? Is that you Babes?" He asked, his eyes wide in hope. She sighed. He looked as horrible as she felt, his rich emerald green eyes were dull and red from crying and he had lost more weight than she thought possible.

"Yes, it's me Beetlejuice."

"Babes if you don't say it one more time, I'm gonna die all over again."

"Beetlejuice." The second she uttered the word he was in her room and holding her close. She finally felt like she was alive being in his arms. They just held each other for what seemed like forever until Beetlejuice gently pulled her away.

"What about Chuckie and the Delia monster?" He asked brushing the hair out of her eyes. She smiled a siren's smile and reached up to kiss him.

"Gone, all weekend." She murmured. It wasn't long before they were heading towards her bed pulling clothes off and throwing them away. They spent the rest of the afternoon and night entangled in the sheets. Lydia finally fell asleep, her leg in between his and her arms wrapped around his chest. She hadn't slept that well since she'd left.

"I love you Beej." She murmured just before she fell asleep. Beetlejuice heard her and tightened his grip on her. She'd said it when she was falling asleep. Did she mean it? He wanted to wake her up and ask her, but he couldn't. He knew from the moment he saw her that she had been as miserable as he was. She needed her sleep. He never knew that those simple words could move him so much, and he didn't want to admit it. Did he love her? He'd never loved anyone in his life, living or otherwise. He didn't know what it felt like. It was a long time before he was able to sleep, thoughts drifting in and out of his mind.


	8. The Glass House

Lydia woke up more refreshed than she had in a long time. She looked up and saw Beetlejuice sleeping soundly, holding her. She never thought he could look better than usual. The morning light outlined his features. More pronounced now because he had lost weight. She traced his outline, feeling the need to touch him.

"How long have you been up?" He asked in his gravely voice, his eyes still closed.

"Not long, I love waking up to you." She said causing him to open one eye and look at her.

"We've slept together before. Lots and lots of times Babes." He said wiggling his eyebrows for emphasis.

"I know, but during the summer, you always woke me up so I could go back to my room. This is the first time I was able to wake up before you. You look sexy in the morning." She said smiling at him. He smiled despite himself and stretched.

"Want to do something about it?" He turned on his side to rub her bare back. God she felt so good.

"Yeah, I do." She smiled and slowly moved away from him to stand next to the bed.

"What are you up to?"

"If you want me, I'll be in the shower." She said and watched his face grimace. She giggled and turned on her heel towards the bathroom. Before she knew it, he came up behind her and grabbed her by the waist. She squeaked and giggled as he picked her up and carried her into the bathroom.

Beetlejuice never would have thought that getting clean would have been fun, but with Lydia it was so much more. They spent their time washing each other between kisses, letting the steam roll and fill the room. It wasn't until all of the hot water was gone that they climbed out to get dressed.

Lydia knew that she had missed the Neitherworld, but she didn't know that she missed it this much. Everything seemed right, she knew that she belonged here, but she also knew that Beetlejuice wouldn't allow it, at least not yet.

"Lydia, we missed you." Ginger said when they walked into the Living-Dead room.

"I missed you guys too." She said happily. She was about to say something to Jacques, but he was concentrating on Beetlejuice.

"Bea-ttlejuice, you 'ave taken a shower n'est-ce pas?" He said looking at Beetlejuice from head to toe.

"He sure did Jacques, and he liked it." Lydia said before he could respond. When Beetlejuice looked down at his feet she just giggled as Jacques and Ginger started to laugh hysterically.

"Come on Babes, let's go." He said grabbing her hand and pulling her out the door.

"You need to stay Lydia, 'e will only take a shower if you are 'ere!" Jacques called before Beetlejuice slammed the door.

"You do look incredibly sexy all cleaned up." She said as they climbed into the Doomie. She stared at his profile and licked her bottom lip. His pale blonde hair was slicked back and still wet from the shower, his skin soft and dewy smelling faintly of her soap. She leaned over and kissed his soft cheek. Her soap smelled different on him, more masculine than she would have thought.

"Lyds you're gonna make me get into an accident if you keep doing that." He said not daring to look over at her. She just laughed softly and propped her feet up, closing her eyes halfway.

"Where are we going Beej?"

"You'll see." He said and nothing more. Lydia shrugged and watched the scenery change. She didn't know how long they drove, but just when she was about to doze off he stopped.

"We're here Babes." He said climbing out.

"Where's here?"

"The Neitherworld Beach." He said taking her hand. They walked up the sand dunes and there was the ocean laying before them.

"Oh Beej, this is the most beautiful place I've ever seen." She said. The sand was the whitest color, like crushed pearls and the water was a deep, clear blue.

"Every time I come here I think of you." He said kissing her hand. She looked up at him and smiled tugging him down to the water.

"You should have told me and I would have brought a bathing suit." She said, disappointment in her voice.

"Not a prob Babes." He said and snapped his fingers. Lydia looked down and saw that her clothes had disappeared and were replaced with a very small black bikini. Beetlejuice had on a pair of black and white stripped speedos.

"Beetlejuice!" She said feeling exposed.

"Lyds, you're covered don't worry about it." He said and enjoyed the look on her face. She seemed to be mixed with a confusion of annoyance and amusement. She sighed and smiled. "Besides Babes, we're the only ones here. I thought I was being generous giving you anything at all." He laughed when she gave him a small push in his chest and took off running towards the water and dashing into it.

"It's so warm Beej." She said kicking some water to splash him.

"Now Lyds, don't start something you can finish." He said, mischief in his voice.

"Yeah?" She said and kicked the water again. It wasn't a half a second later that he tackled her into the water. She came up sputtering and pushing the wet hair out of her eyes. When Beetlejuice came up he just had a wide, smug grin on his face.

"Told you not to start it." He said then laughed when she splashed him with some more water. He just picked her up and dropped her in the water again. Instead of coming straight up she swam away before coming up.

"Thanks a lot Beej." She pushed the hair away and stayed away from him.

"You might want to be careful Babes." He said giving her a worried look.

"Why?" She asked scared at his look. When he vanished she felt something rubbing against her legs and looked down to see a black and white stripped shark.

"You never know what's lurking in these waters." He said coming up.

"Unfortunately I do Beej." She said laughing and walking back towards the sand.

He quickly followed her out and laid down on the beach beside her.

"I wish I didn't ever have to go back."

"I know Babes, but you don't have a choice, it'll be done with soon."

"I doubt it, it will be worse and I'll miss you more than you know. That's why I've decided to stay. I'm not going back." Lydia said turning to Beetlejuice. "I love you." Hearing the words out loud, coming from her mouth while she was awake was like nothing else. It made something inside him swell. It was one thing that he didn't dare dream about, but hoped about it every second of every day. He knew that they were living in a glass house right now. If Lydia never went back there would be monumental hell to pay. It would only be a matter of time before the first stone would be thrown and their fragile life would crumble. He couldn't let that happen, not now.

"Babes, I know that you think you love me, but it's just infatuation." It broke his heart to hear those words coming from his mouth and it shattered it to watch her face change as she absorbed what he'd said.

Lydia changed from feeling on top of the world one second to feeling her heart ripped out the next. He didn't think she loved him? It wasn't possible, it couldn't be. She shook her head and felt a lump in her throat.

"It's not infatuation Beej, I love you. I've loved you for a long time." She chocked on her words as she spoke.

"No Lydia, you see me an easy escape. I am an excuse for you not to live your life. You are using me to not have to grow up and I won't let you do that anymore." He tried to keep his heart out of his voice, but he knew there was some left in there.

Lydia stared at him, her pain mixed with fresh outrage as he spoke. He questioned her honor, her dignity and her heart. She leapt up to her feet and stared down at him, angry tears flowing freely down her face.

"How dare you, how dare you question me. If that's the way you think Beetlejuice, then fine. I won't _use _you anymore. Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!" She screamed at the top of her lungs and was sent back to her room. She didn't see the tears streaking down his face as she sent herself away.


	9. Love Hurts

I've just been clicking right along with this story and can't seem to help it. If I'm not working on it, then I'm thinking about what I want to do next. I've been excited about how this story is turning out and believe when I say that it's shocked me. I hope it surprises you as well. I want to hear what everyone is thinking about it, good or bad I want to know so I can fix what isn't working, but I can't do that unless you tell me! Enjoy and I'll be posting more soon.

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Meghan turned around smiling when she heard the door of the dorm room open. Her smile quickly faded when she saw the look on Lydia's face. She had fully expected to see her roommate come home with a silly grin on her face, but instead found her furious.

"I'm almost afraid to ask you what happened." Meghan said when Lydia threw her suitcase against the wall and fell onto her bed.

"He is the most infuriating individual I have ever met." She said seething as she stared up at the ceiling.

"What happened?" Meghan had never seen Lydia show this much emotion before. Her entire face was flushed pink with anger.

"I was stupid enough to tell him that I loved him. He had the audacity to tell me that my feelings were infatuation and I was just using him as an excuse." Her voice was cracking as she spoke. Meghan didn't say anything, but let her continue. "We were having such a nice time, he took me to the beach and we were laughing and talking. I don't know what happened." Lydia was so angry when she came back through that she turned around the flung a blanket on top of her mirror, got dressed and left. She drove back to the campus gritting her teeth as she drove.

"Well either he doesn't love you back or he's trying to save you from something." Meghan said. The words hit Lydia like a rock, she burst into tears and turned on her side. Meghan came over and put a reassuring hand on her back.

"What would he have to save me from?" She stuttered. "Oh God, he doesn't love me does he?" When she thought that she had no more heart to break, she felt it shatter even more. It broke a little more. Meghan let her cry, she needed a good cry to get over whatever she went through this weekend. Meghan sighed and walked out of the room, so much for her roommate becoming relaxed.

It wasn't until she had cried out all of her tears that Lydia decided that it was easier to stay mad at Beetlejuice than to keep reminding herself of him. She got up and washed her face of the dried tears. She gathered her books and headed for the library. She would force him out of her mind whether she wanted to or not.

Beetlejuice laid in his bed, his stomach twisted in knots. He couldn't stop thinking about how hurt Lydia looked when he threw her words in her face. He'd give anything to take them back now, but he couldn't. As much power as he had, he didn't have the power to turn back time. Ginger and Jacques had left him alone when he came back to the Roadhouse without Lydia. He hadn't left his room since. If this was love then he thought that he was better off without it, but at the same time, he didn't want to lose it. In his mind he knew that he did it for her, but in his heart he knew that until they were both together again he wouldn't be able to function.

"What's wrong with Beetlejuice?" Ginger whispered to Jacques after Beetlejuice came home and walked into his room shutting the door.

"I don't know, but I 'ave a feeling 'e will not be taking any more showers." Jacques said. Ginger only nodded and secretly hoped that he was okay. Beetlejuice stared at the blanket covered mirror for hours without blinking. He wanted more than anything to just be able to see her room. Know that it was still there waiting for him, but no one had touched it since that weekend and the weeks began to merge together until he couldn't tell one day from the next.

Lydia rubbed her blurry eyes. She hadn't slept for a straight twenty seven hours studying for her finals. She knew that her roommate was worried about her, but every time she wasn't studying she found herself thinking about Beetlejuice. She knew that she loved him, because if she hadn't this wouldn't have been so hard. During the past few months she was felt sick and almost crazy. One minute she would start to laugh with Meghan and then the next she would break down. She didn't feel like herself and it was starting to scare her.

"Lyds I think you should go to the doctor." Meghan said when Lydia emerged from the bathroom.

"Why is that?" She asked.

"Lydia I know that you had a bad breakup, but I don't think it should have given you the stomach flu. You've been getting sick a lot lately. Maybe it's something more serious than just a bug, you could have a virus and it would make me feel a lot better if you would just go." Meghan said. Lydia was so pale and ashen and she had lost even more weight if it was possible. Lydia sighed and nodded.

"All right, if it will make you happy Meg, I'll go." Lydia gave a small smile when Meghan sighed with relief.

"Good, go before you have to leave for Winter Break so I know you are okay."

"Fine, I'll go this afternoon is that all right?"

"Yes." Meghan smiled and gave Lydia a quick hug before leaving for her classes.


	10. Now What?

Lydia flipped through the three month old News Week as she waited in the student's health clinic. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd gone to the doctor and she just felt irritated that she promised Meghan that she would.

The doctor had her do a few tests just to make sure she didn't have something more serious and now she was just waiting for the results. She put down the magazine when the doctor walked back in, his head bent down looking at her file.

"Congratulations." He said before looking up and pushing his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose.

"About what? I don't have a virus?"

"No, Miss Deetz you're with child." He said. It took a few moments before she fully comprehended what he was telling her.

"I'm pregnant? No, that can't be possible." Her mind was racing.

"Well I suspect that you're not a virgin are you Miss Deetz?"

"Obviously." She said now offended and scared.

"Well sometime around the beginning of October did you have unprotected sex?" Lydia never even considered using something with Beetlejuice.

"Well then I can assure you that it is definitely possible Miss Deetz." He drawled out.

"I need to go." She surged up feeling sick. She'd been pregnant for almost two months and didn't know it? She felt horrible that she hadn't been sleeping and eating right and now she knew that it wasn't just her that it was happening to.

The full force of it didn't hit her until she came back into her dorm room and Meghan asked how the doctors visit went. Now what? How was she going to tell everyone? Meghan would understand, but her parents? They would demand to know who the father was and how was she going to tell Beetlejuice? He didn't even believe she loved him and now she was carrying their child. She felt miserable and very alone.

"Lydia you need to tell me what the doctor said right now?" Meghan said worried out of her mind.

"I'm pregnant." She whispered so low that Meghan had to bend over to hear her.

"No, seriously? Wow," She was floored. "Wow, Lyds this is really heavy."

"I know Meg, I don't know what I am going to do." Lydia put her head in her hands.

"Well do you want to keep it?" Meghan asked cautiously. Lydia slowly lifted her head out of her hands and looked at her. She hadn't considered that. Abortion? Even thinking about it sounded disgusting and vile.

"Of course I am going to keep him or her." She said narrowing her eyes.

"All right, sorry I asked. I was just curious. I know a lot of girls who have had an 'accident' sort to speak and have done it."

"Well I'm not one of them. Look, I'm going to out for a walk. I need to figure out what I'm going to do." When Meghan only nodded Lydia walked out of the room pulling on her gloves and scarf.

Lydia knew what would happen with her parents. They would cry and scream, ask her how this happened and then her father would continue to avoid her and Delia would give her that condescending look of hers. What worried her more than anything was how she was going to tell Beetlejuice. She felt the ruby around her neck, she never took it off. She knew that she would have to tell him, there wouldn't be any real way of avoiding it. Finals would be over soon and her parents expected her as soon as they were over. She unconsciously touched her stomach through her coat and smiled. She was growing a child in her and despite everything that felt pretty good.

"Well I guess this is it." Meghan said the next week when they were packing up to leave. Lydia finished zipping up her suitcase and sat on the bare bed.

"Yeah what a semester huh?" Lydia said giving a half of a smile. Her roommate smiled at her and bent down to give her a hug.

"Living with you was definitely an adventure and I'm glad that we were roommates."

"I am too. You're a good friend Meg." Lydia said giving her a hug back. "If I don't come back to school, for whatever reason, I'll keep in touch"

"You'd better." Meghan squeezed her one last time and waved before she walked out the door. Lydia sighed and looked around the room. It looked like a regular dorm room. Who would have thought that so much had happened in an average room? She wouldn't miss this room, but she would miss Meghan. She got up from the bed and turned off the lights before shutting the door to go home.


	11. Merry Christmas?

This one is a long one, but it had to be. I just couldn't break up this chapter into two so I hope you enjoy. I'm working furiously on this story and want to see where it's going to go. As always I want feedback, good or bad it doesn't matter so I can continue to work on it. Thanks and enjoy!

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"Hi Pumpkin, we're so glad that you're back home." Her father said when she walked through the door. He gave her a big hug and kissed her on top of the head.

"Thanks Dad, I'm glad to be home too." She said and laid a hand on her stomach.

"Lydia how nice to see you Dear. I trust your semester went well?" Delia asked giving Lydia a small hug.

"It was fine Delia, thank you for asking." Lydia said. She felt like the words were going to burst from her, but she didn't want them too, not yet anyway. "You know, I'm feeling a little weary from the drive, do you mind if I just go into my bedroom and rest for a while?"

"Sure Pumpkin go have a good nap." Charles said and patted her back. Lydia walked up the stairs and into her bedroom. She saw the blanket on top of the mirror and felt her stomach drop. A wave of guilt swept through her and she felt horrible about doing that to Beetlejuice.

It was almost Christmas and Beetlejuice knew that Lydia would be home soon. He needed to talk with her. It was tearing up inside not even being able to see her room. He'd walked into the Living-Dead room and paced.

"Bea-ttlejuice, mon Dieu!" Jacques said when he saw Beetlejuice. For the past two months he had kept himself barricaded in his room and now he was downright skinny. "Why are you torturing yourself mon ami? You are already dead."

"Lyds and I had a huge fight and I just need to see her." He said weakly.

"This I can see, if you do not see 'er soon, you will be nossing but bones like moi." Beetlejuice gave a small smile to his friend, but it fell quickly and he sighed.

"She has to be coming home anytime now Jacques, I can only hope that she wants to talk with me."

Lydia paced around her room for five minutes before she got the courage to just take the blanket off of her mirror. It was another ten minutes before she whispered his name.

"Beetlejuice?" She said, almost afraid. He immediately appeared and she gasped out loud.

"Lyds? You're home?" He asked staring at her. She was very pale and it looked like she had been sick for a while. "Babes are you okay?" He said putting his hand up on his side of the mirror. Lydia's throat closed when she saw him. He didn't look the same, he was down right thin.

"Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!" She finally said. He appeared in her room and all she could do was stare at him. "Beej, haven't you eaten at all?" Her eyes were wide and she laid a hand on her stomach.

"Babes, I couldn't live with myself after what I told you." He reached out and grasped her arms, pulling her in. "You have to know that I didn't mean it. I know that you love me and Lydia I love you too." He said in near desperation. He had never admitted that to anyone, but to see the tears spring in her eyes and roll down her cheeks he knew he should have told her sooner.

"Oh Beej." She said and threw her arms around him, kissing him. He squeezed her back so hard she squeaked into his mouth and he smiled. "You have no idea how much I needed to hear that." She wanted to tell him so bad, but she wanted it to be special as well. She decided it could wait a little longer and lost herself in him. They collapsed together on her bed and just held each other, kissing slowly. Lydia fell asleep against his chest and Beetlejuice rested his chin on the top of her head, inhaling her scent. She was all his, he knew it deep down in his bones and he knew that there was no way they would be able to survive without each other. The past few months have proven that very well. He laid there thinking when he heard someone climbing up the stairs. He quickly morphed himself into a black and white stripped pillow before the door opened.

"Pumpkin?" Charles asked slowly opening the door of his daughter's bedroom. She had looked so exhausted when she had walked through the door. He wondered if she was able to make it up the stairs without falling. He knew that he tried to avoid a lot of conflict that she and Delia had over the years, but that didn't mean that he wasn't concerned about his daughter. Seeing her briefly when she came home the weekend he and Delia left and today he knew that she had a hard time at school and he was seriously wondering if she should even go back. She hadn't told him anything, but she was a private girl and he respected her privacy. He watched her as she slept, clinging onto her pillow with a death grip. She looked peaceful when she slept so he turned to leave her. After Beetlejuice heard the door quietly close again he morphed back into his self and continued trying to figure out what they were going to do.

Lydia slowly woke up and had no idea what time it was. She looked up to see Beetlejuice still wide awake.

"How long was I out?" She croaked and cleared her throat.

"A while Babes, but you needed the rest." He said and smiled kissing the top of her head.

"Did anything happen while I was asleep?" She asked slowly sitting up on her bed.

"Chuck came to check on you, but when he saw you were sleeping he left you alone. It was a good thing too, or I would have had to do something to get him out to let you sleep." He said and Lydia laughed for the first real time in a while.

"Do you think they'll stay away for the rest of the night?" Lydia asked. Before Beetlejuice could answer they heard the shrill voice from downstairs that made them both cringe.

"Lydia, come on and wake up. You need to eat something to get your strength and we have to sit down and talk about Christmas." She called. Lydia sighed and shook her head.

"Spoke too soon I guess." She said and gave a half smile. Beetlejuice pulled her up close and kissed her.

"Don't worry Babes, you need your rest anyway tonight. Listen, tomorrow's Christmas Eve so why don't you sneak away tomorrow and we'll celebrate." He said giving her an extra squeeze. Lydia giggled and sighed.

"Okay Beetlejuice. Just knowing that I'll see you tomorrow should be enough to get me through tonight." She was actually relieved that they would wait until tomorrow, that would give her time to figure out how she was going to tell him.

"Just think Babes, this time tomorrow we won't even think about getting out of bed." He laughed when she groaned, which turned into his own groan when he thought about her naked. He gave her one last kiss before she said his name and he went back to the Neitherworld.

Lydia took a deep breath before she walked down the stairs to join her parents.

"Ahh feeling better Pumpkin?" Her father asked. She saw the worry in his eyes and she smiled. He did care about her, in his own way.

"Yes, thanks for letting me sleep Daddy, the last couple of weeks have been torture." She said and gave him a small hug.

"Lydia, you need to eat something, you're nothing but skin and bones. Don't you eat over there?" Delia asked piling Lydia's plate with an array of inedible foods that made Lydia's stomach churn just looking at it, let alone smell.

"There wasn't a lot of time between studying and classes, I ate when I could." She said and stared at her plate. She made a silent vow that if she could eat without getting sick she wouldn't take anything for granted again. She took a small bite and didn't think she would be able to make it, girding herself she swallowed the food and smiled. Delia watched Lydia slowly eat her food before she began talking.

"The day after tomorrow is Christmas as you know Lydia. I would like to spend that day as a family. You do have a tendency to run off and disappear during the holidays or, well recently, any time you are home." Lydia didn't say anything and just let her talk. "We haven't done a real Christmas since you were young. It will be fun." Lydia thought that Delia was trying to convince herself just as much as she was trying to convince Lydia. Lydia took another bite, resisted grimacing and smiled.

"Of course Delia. I missed you both so much that I wouldn't dream of leaving on Christmas day. I was hoping to see some friends tomorrow though and is someone that I'd like to have you meet on Christmas." Lydia said mimicking Delia's sing song voice. Delia smiled and patted Lydia's hand.

Lydia dragged herself up the stairs about an hour later, tired to her bones and wanting her baby to rest. She knew she was going to regret eating Delia's cooking, but she hoped it wasn't going to be tonight. She thought of nothing but her bed and sleeping until late in the morning. She climbed in and thought of Beetlejuice and smiled at the plan she thought of when Delia was talking. It was going to be a good Christmas if all went well.

Beetlejuice was actually nervous as he went to the Shocking Mall to find something for Lydia. He wanted everything to be special for her. He had grimaced this morning and forced himself to take a bath for her. It wasn't too bad, but still Lydia wasn't there with him so he got in and got out as quickly as he could.

Lydia woke up refreshed, but it didn't last for long. She leapt out of bed and headed straight to the bathroom. She knew that Delia's food would come back to haunt her. Once she recovered she walked into the shower to get ready. She wanted to head into town to find something for Beetlejuice.

"Though I know I should be weary, still I venture someplace scary, ghostly haunting I turn loose, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice" She called some hours later. She was nervous and excited and unconsciously laid her hand on her stomach. She had Beetlejuice's present in a bag and headed for the Roadhouse.

"Merry Christmas Babes." Beetlejuice said when he answered the door. He gave her a big hug and kiss which she giggled at.

"Merry Christmas BJ, you look different." She said and then snapped her fingers. "You bathed didn't you?" She said and threw her arms around him holding on to him. When they did pull away Lydia looked around. "Where are Jacques and Ginger?" She asked.

"Oh um..." He avoided her eyes and started to blush.

"What did you do BJ?" She asked placing her hands on her hips, smiling.

"I thought they could use a vacation...to the swamps. They should be gone all day." Lydia giggled and kissed him.

"Good, because I want to be alone with you." She murmured against his mouth. Beetlejuice grabbed her and hauled her into his bedroom, kissing her nonstop. Suddenly Beetlejuice stopped and stared at her.

"What's the matter?" She asked, her arms still wrapped around his neck.

"I want to give you your present." He said and Lydia laughed when he dashed from the room the way a little boy would. When he came back in he held a small square box. He loved the way her dark eyes lit up when he gave her something. He watched her as she opened up the box.

"Deadly-vu, it is beautiful." She said pulling out a silver bangle shaped like a snake. Sapphire stones for it's eyes. She slid it on her wrist and watched it snake around her wrist to fit her perfectly.

"I'm glad you like it Babes." He muttered, slightly embarrassed. Lydia smiled and got up.

"Where you going Babes?" He asked.

"I'm going to give you the first part of your present." She said and gave a wide smile before walking into the bathroom and shutting the door. Beetlejuice zapped the room full of blood red roses and lit some candles. "Beetlejuice." She called from the door. When Beetlejuice turned around and sucked in his breath. Lydia was wearing a dark blue silk nightgown, so dark it was almost black, but shimmered in the moonlight. The neck was cut low to give just a hint of cleavage and there was a slit up the side that showed her milky white leg up to her mid thigh.

"Merry Christmas Beej." She whispered. She walked over to him and kissed his neck, slowly pulling him out of his clothes. Lydia wanted to be in control this time. No poofing her out of her clothes and no yanking them off either. She gently took her time removing his tie and jacket and unbuttoning each button on his shirt, kissing the skin as she exposed it. When she had all of his clothes off of him she spent her time exploring his body. It felt new to her, hard lines and toned muscle that was hiding before.

Beetlejuice loved everything Lydia was doing, but it took everything to not flip her on her back. They hadn't been together in so long he was near bursting with lust for her. She was showing him her love and he knew that it was so much more than anything they'd ever done before. When she finally did allow him to slip the straps off her shoulders and taste her. She always tasted so good to him. He gently rolled her over on her back and worked the nightgown off of her.

"Lyds?" He murmured against her skin.

"Mmm?"

"I love you."

"I love you too Beej." She whispered. He took the same amount of time and care that she had done to him and when he finally did enter her it was slow and filled with love. She gently glided her hands up and down his back, moving with him in perfect rhythm. They reached their peaks together, yelling in each other's mouths.

"Babes?" Beetlejuice whispered when Lydia was cuddled against his chest.

"Yes Beej?" She whispered back.

"You said when you went into the bathroom that you were giving me the first half of my present. What's the second?" Lydia lifted herself up on her elbows, her heart pounding. The time had come and she was so nervous that she forgot that she was holding her breath. She slowly let it out and looked at him.

"The last time I was here, before we had the fight we made love. That time we created a child. Beej, I'm carrying your baby." She said trying to control her herself. She watched Beetlejuice as he listened to her. She honestly didn't know how he was going to react.

"Lyds are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm about two months pregnant. We'll have a little one by the end of June, early July."

"Babes, you know how rare this is?" Beetlejuice was floored, he knew that he loved her, but this was amazing.

"What do you mean Beej?"

"Lydia, for the living and deceased to create a life the only way is if they are soul mates. Finding your one and true soul mate isn't a common thing, especially when you consider they can be living or dead. Lyds the life you carry proves that we are meant to be together." He pulled her close to him and kissed her deeply.

"I love you so much Beej." She said.

"I love you too Lyds." He said and reached down to delicately touch her belly. He knew he could feel his child growing inside of her. Lydia laughed and fell asleep, her head on his chest and his hand covering her small belly.


	12. It's Time

"We have to tell them Beej." Lydia said the next morning when they were laying in bed together.

"Do I have to be there?" He asked cringing at the thought of what would happen.

"Yes, I need you there. I'm not really sure what they are going to say, but we are in this together." Beetlejuice looked into her deep blue eyes and sighed. She needed him and he would rather die again than disappoint his Babes. He smiled and held her chin in his hand giving her a small kiss.

"Anything for you Babes." He just held her until they had to return to the real world before Delia blew another gasket.

Lydia dressed in a simple black vest shirt and black pencil skirt with the faintest pinstripe racing up it.

"Geez Lyds we're so perfect we even dress the same." Beetlejuice said floating above her in her room.

"Not quite BJ, but close." She said as she slid her black sling back pumps on. "Ready?" She was nervous and her stomach was telling her so. It took her twice the amount of time to get dressed because she had to keep running to the bathroom.

"Morning sickness, you gotta hate it." Beetlejuice mumbled when she returned to the room, a slight tinge of green around her face.

"Don't remind me and if we are so perfect, how come you are having sympathy pains for me?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I was really sick around the end of October Babes, but I juiced myself." He said lazily.

"Then juice me, I don't think I can take this much longer."

"I can't Babes, it might not be good for the baby. I don't know what will happen so until then you just gotta go with the flow."

"Yeah, right to the bathroom." She mumbled underneath her breath. Beetlejuice heard her and chuckled.

"Pretty much, it should pass soon Babes." He said, rubbing her arms. She sighed and leaned into him.

"Sorry Babes, but you can't get comfortable. It's Showtime." He said and poofed himself out of her bedroom. Lydia walked down the stairs to meet her parents.

"There you are Lydia dear. When is your friend arriving?" Delia asked.

"He should be arriving any time now." Lydia said just before the doorbell rang. "That should be him." Lydia said heading for the door. Delia beat her too it and opened it to Mr. Beetleman.

"Mr. Beetleman? We haven't seen you since last September. It was like you just disappeared." Delia said confused as to why their handy man would be Lydia's guest.

"I had um...family problems to take care of." Beetlejuice mumbled. He walked in and sat next to Lydia.

"Well I think dinner is almost ready. Lydia, why don't you help me in the kitchen." Delia said pulling Lydia away.

"What is going on Lydia?" Delia hissed as she took out the turkey to baste it.

"What do you mean?" Lydia asked watching Delia work.

"Why is Mr. Beetleman here?" Delia asked. Lydia knew that if she lied to Delia now it would just be worse for her later on.

"There is something that I need to talk with you and Daddy and it involves Mr. Beetleman." Lydia said. Delia raised her eyebrow, but didn't say anything and continued to baste the already dried out bird.

Lydia walked back into the living room to find her father and Beetlejuice standing in front of the fireplace. Beetlejuice looked so sexy in his suit. It was a toned down version of his normal suit, he'd taken a cue from Lydia and the stripes on his suit were reduced to a large pinstripe. His shirt and tie were tone on tone black. She wanted more than anything to give him a kiss, but with her father right there she would have to wait.

"Hi Pumpkin. Is everything all right in the kitchen?" Charles asked handing Lydia a mug of hot chocolate.

"As all right as it ever is." She said taking a sip. Charles sighed and nodded.

By the time they'd sat down for dinner Lydia was already starting to get worn out. Beetlejuice grabbed her hand underneath the table and held it when Charles began to carve the turkey.

"When are we going to tell them?" He whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

"After dinner, I promise." She whispered back.

The dinner conversation was forced and uncomfortable. Lydia was nervous and awkward around her parents. Beetlejuice kept squeezing her hand, reassuring her as they tried to eat the meal Delia created.

"Let's go into the living room and open up presents." Delia said as they all finished the last bites on their plates. Beetlejuice helped Lydia up and they walked into the room while Charles helped Delia clean up.

"This is it Babes, no going back now." He said and smiled at her. Lydia nodded and sat down. Delia and Charles walked into the room ready to break into the shiny wrapped boxes that were underneath the decorated tree.

"Before we start there is something that we need to tell you." Lydia said and felt Beetlejuice's hand on her shoulder, giving her strength.

"We?" Charles asked and looked from his daughter to the handyman that he'd hired over the years. Something wasn't right about this and he noticed the man's hand on his daughter's frail shoulder.

"Yes, I, uh, we're in love Dad, Delia." Lydia said, her eyes darting back and forth to their blank faces.

"He must be twice your age Lydia." Delia said sinking into the chair to stare at them.

"Something like that." She said and smiled.

"How long has this been going on?" Charles asked. Lydia had never seen her father show much emotion and she was shocked when he started turning pink from anger.

"Not long Dad, we've only been seeing each other after I graduated. There's more though." Lydia had to push herself to tell her parents. She looked at Beetlejuice and only continued when he nodded. "Mr. Beetleman is not his real name and he is not living."

"What do you mean it's not his real...What did you say?" Delia started. "Not living?"

"He's a ghost, over six hundred years old." Beetlejuice smiled at their slack jaws and transformed into his regular suit.

"That's right folks, I'm the ghost with the most. You might also recognize me as," He transformed into Betty Juice, Lydia's school friend then cousin BJ. Delia and Charles could only stare as he went from the unusual girl to the annoying boy.

"Wait a minute, you said you're in love with this, this thing?" Delia asked.

"Yes, very much in love and there's more." Lydia said.

"More?" Charles said weakly, he wasn't sure he could take much more.

"I'm pregnant." Lydia finally got to the most important fact. Delia and Charles looked at each other then back at Lydia and Beetlejuice. Delia burst out laughing.

"Pregnant? No, you can't be, especially if its with this...this...thing." Lydia and Beetlejuice just stared at them until Delia stopped laughing. Lydia placed a hand on her stomach feeling queasy.

"You're not kidding are you." Charles asked quietly. Lydia shook her head and gave him a half of a smile.

"You should be grandparents by late June."

"What are you going to do?" Delia asked, the seriousness of the situation setting in.

"I'm not going back to college."

"You can't stay here. What will everyone say when they find out that you are pregnant. We definitely can't tell them that it's by a ghost no less. No Lydia, you will not stay here." Delia said.

"I don't think we need to,"

"No Charles, I will not have that slut of a girl in my house. She's been sneaking around behind our backs and I will not be responsible for her consequences." She cut Charles off. Lydia watched her father as he was defeated. She sighed and got up. She wasn't sure what was going to happen so it really didn't come as much of a shock.

"Come on Beej, we won't bother them any longer." She said holding out her hand for him. He glared at them as he went to take her hand.

"I'll let you know when the baby is born." She told her father and smiled. They walked back upstairs.

"What a bitch." Was all Beetlejuice could say. Lydia just shook her head and gave him a kiss.

"Delia is all about a certain image. I've never been able to fill that image for her and so this," She said placing a hand on her stomach. "Was the final straw for her." Lydia gathered her clothes and placed them in a suitcase. "Let's go to the Neitherworld. I don't need this place anymore." She said. Beetlejuice took her suitcase and held out his other hand for her.

"Come on Babes, the Neitherworld beacons." She smiled and held onto his hand as they left the real world.


	13. Pregnancy Pains

Lydia felt weak and nauseous for the first few weeks she was in the Neitherworld. She could barely get out of bed and it was scaring Beetlejuice something terrible. He finally decided that he couldn't deal with this by himself. He piled her into Doomie and set off.

"Where are we going?" She asked as they drove.

"To my parents house. You need some sort of motherly figure Babes and if Delia's not willing then my mom will have to do." He reached out and took her hand in his own. Lydia looked at the red tipped fingers and felt the worry in his touch. She must have drifted off because the next thing she knew she was at the house. He lifted her up and brought her into the house.

"Junior, what are you doing here?" Beetlejuice's mother asked. She saw how pale Lydia was and immediately took over. "Take her into your room Junior and let me see to her." She said dismissing her son.

Bea settled Lydia into the soft bed and touched her forehead.

"You're pregnant with my dear boy's child aren't you?" She said softly. Lydia looked up and sighed.

"Yes, I love your son so much." Bea smiled and patted her hand and tucked her in. She settled into a chair next to her.

"Being a mortal pregnant with a ghoul's child is one of the hardest things someone can go through. It's ten times worse than a normal pregnancy. You must love him to endure this."

"How much longer will I feel this way?" Lydia squeaked.

"Not much longer dear, the first few months are the worst, then it will lighten up a little bit." Lydia nodded and closed her eyes. "That's right Dear, you just need to rest." Bea made sure that Lydia was asleep before she went back downstairs.

"What's wrong Mom?" Beetlejuice asked, nearly out of his mind with worry.

"She's making a life with someone who has no life. It's hard son, she just needs to rest and eat up and she'll be okay." Bea reassured her son. Beetlejuice felt a huge relief hearing those words from his mother. He nodded and she left him.

Lydia woke up to the smell of wonderful food. She heard her stomach growl and then heard a small chuckle. She opened up her eyes to see Beetlejuice holding a large tray for her.

"What's so funny?" She asked and frowned at her weak voice. He set the tray down and opened it up to reveal an array of breakfast foods from eggs to pancakes.

"I heard your stomach growl from the other side of the room." He said and shook his head smiling. "Per Ma's orders you need to eat every scrap of food on this plate. You have lost way too much weight Babes and you need to build your strength back up."

"No problem with that, I feel like I haven't eaten in days." She said smiling. He gave her a light kiss and left her too her meal. Lydia dug in and devoured everything on the plate in seconds. The minute she finished she began to feel better. It was amazing what an actual meal could do to you. Having nothing but Delia's cooking and cafeteria food for so long she had forgotten what real food tasted like.

She felt a massive pain in her back and froze while it coursed through her. She was almost four months pregnant now and her normally flat stomach was now rounded. She placed her hand on her stomach and felt a flutter dance across it. She quickly took her hand off and slowly laid it down again. It felt like a butterfly skittering across the palm of her hand. A broad smile covered her face and she yelled for Beetlejuice. He came flying into the room to see Lydia still laying in bed.

"Come here." She said and reached for his hand. She placed it on her stomach. He looked at her in confusion until he felt a flutter underneath it. He looked at her and she smiled broader, showing her white teeth.

"It's the baby kicking for the first time." She said. He looked down at his hand that was still laying on her stomach and was in awe. "This, right here, is worth everything." Lydia said running her hand up his arm.

"Babes, it's amazing." He said and gently lifted his hand off of her stomach. He leaned down to kiss her and she pulled in into bed with her.

"Stay with me, I sleep better with you." She said cuddling up to him. Beetlejuice just smiled stroked her hair until she fell asleep again. He gently moved away from her when he heard her breathing soundly. He walked back downstairs and sat down next to his father.

"Feeling okay son?" Gnat asked.

"Yeah, I'm just worried about Lyds."

"She'll be okay, she's strong." Beetlejuice just nodded and sat to watch television. Bea walked into the room wiping her hands on her apron.

"Is Lydia sleeping again?"

"Yes Ma, she fell asleep right after she finished her meal."

"Good, she needs to rest a lot. This isn't going to be easy for her." Bea said sitting down her son. She was amazed that he was actually bathing, of course she knew that it was because of Lydia. She could see in his eyes that he loved her.

"What's going to happen to her Ma?" He asked.

"Hopefully she'll get the rest she needs and she'll start feeling much better. Being pregnant isn't easy, especially in her case." Bea said and saw Beetlejuice's face lose all color completely. She sighed and patted his hand. "She'll get through it, she's a tough one." Beetlejuice just nodded as she left. He hoped Lydia would get better soon, he didn't think he could bear it if she didn't.

Lydia woke up in the middle of the night, her back seizing up on her and her stomach rolling. She broke out into a cold sweat and tried to call for Beetlejuice. He was nodding off in the chair by her bed when he heard her groan in pain. She reached for him and held on.

"If I live through this, we are only having one child." She muttered. He couldn't help himself and chuckled while he held her. Lydia squeezed her eyes shut and felt the pain roll through her before it stopped. If this is what it was like in just a few months, she dreaded what labor was going to be like.

"It's the baby growing Lydia." Bea said flicking on the light. Lydia turned to see Beetlejuice's sweet mother coming to sit on the edge of the bed in her robe and nightgown. "Since you've lost so much weight while you have been pregnant, the baby hasn't had much room and is now forcing you to accommodate. Once we start getting some meat on your bones you'll feel much better. That will give your baby some more room and stop stretching you from the inside out." Bea said and handed Lydia a plate of fresh cookies and a large glass of milk. "Eat this and you'll feel better." She said and patted her cheek. Lydia smiled and took a bite of a cookie. Beetlejuice made sure she ate every ounce wanting her to be better as soon as possible. He hated seeing his Lyds hurting.


	14. The Baby's Coming

It took time, but during the next months Lydia began to feel better and better. Bea's cooking and lots of rest made her feel like a new woman. She started to get out of bed and help around the house while the baby settled in, growing big and strong.

"Beej?" She whispered. It was the middle of the night and the baby's soft kicking was keeping her awake.

"Yeah Babes?" He asked drowsy from sleep.

"Do you still think I look pretty?" She asked turning her face to him. He opened his eyes and looked at her.

"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my entire life." He said and ran his fingers down her cheek. Now that she had been eating and resting her face had filled back out to it's normal size before she had gone away. She had almost a glow to her and he wasn't afraid she was going to collapse. Those first few months the pains in her back were so severe that she would cry just getting sitting up in bed. After a few weeks of staying at his parents she only had a slight twinge in her back from the weight she carried in the front and her morning sickness had completely disappeared. She looked healthy and he loved the way she was able to bounce back.

Lydia took his hand and kissed his palm before she leaned in to kiss his mouth. She laid back down and closed her eyes. The baby was due in two weeks and she was more than ready to stop being pregnant. She felt a shiver of fear run up her spine about labor, but she pushed it away. She didn't want to think about that until she had to. She laid a hand on her stomach and felt the baby push softly against it. She smiled and fell into a soft sleep, her hand still on the top of her stomach.

"Let me help you with those Mrs. Juice." Lydia said clearing the rest of the plates from breakfast.

"Don't be silly Lydia dear, I can handle that and please call me Bea, how many times must I tell you?" She said patting Lydia on the cheek.

"Sorry, I just can't seem to help it Mrs...Bea." She said when Bea gave her a stern look. She smiled.

"There's a good girl. Why don't you go for a walk dear, it's a nice day outside, not too hot and that will give you some good exercise to stretch out your muscles." Bea said. Truth was, Lydia felt so guilty about her first few weeks at the house not being able to do anything that she'd been on Bea's heels ever since trying to make up for it. Bea had tried to tell her that it wasn't necessary, but Lydia seemed determined to earn her keep. Lydia sighed and nodded walking out of the kitchen. Bea watched her leave and just shook her head returning to her dishes.

Lydia walked out of the large farmhouse and looked out into the barren land. It was a nice day outside and she could use the fresh air. Beetlejuice was with his father playing cards. She managed to slip away before he joined her for a walk. She wanted to have a little time to herself to just think. Not that she didn't want Beetlejuice there, but during the last few weeks he had been increasingly attentive to her. She walked away from the house and felt the cool late May breeze on her face. She did love it in the Neitherworld, hadn't even thought about what was going on with anyone else. She thought about Meghan for a split second and felt guilty. She hadn't written to her once since she'd left the college. She made a mental note to write her a letter to let her know what was going on. Lydia felt a sharp pain in her stomach that made her stop and take a few deep breaths. She waited for a few minutes before she began to walk again and felt the sharp pain again. This time it was enough for her to gasp and lean over holding her stomach. Somewhere in her mind she knew that this was labor. She turned to look at the farmhouse, it seemed so far away. She slowly turned to start walking back to the farmhouse.

"Hey Ma, where's Lyds?" Beetlejuice asked when his father took the pot for the fifth time in a row while they played poker.

"I sent her out on a walk Junior. She's been gone a while now." Bea said looking at the clock. Beetlejuice felt his stomach drop as he rushed outside. He saw a figure out in the distance and popped out of sight.

Lydia was shuffling along groaning with the small sharp pains every few minutes. She didn't have a watch so she wasn't sure how far apart they were. She was nearly knocked off her feet when Beetlejuice popped in right next to her.

"Are you okay Babes? You should have told me you were out for a walk, I would have joined you." He said.

"Beej, I...I think I'm in labor." She said and then paled.

"What? You're two weeks away, it must be false labor pains." He said reaching for her. She just stared at him in horror.

"Not anymore, my water just broke." She whispered. Beetlejuice didn't think he was more scared in his entire afterlife. He lifted her up and felt her shiver with another pain.

"Don't worry Babes, it'll be okay." He said and flew back to the house.

"MA, POPS!" Beetlejuice yelled holding Lydia in his arms.

"What is it Junior?" Bea asked when she and Gnat rushed into the entry way.

"Lyds is in labor." He said and as if on cue Lydia groaned and held her stomach. Beetlejuice carried her up to the bedroom and laid her down on the bed.

"Beej, don't leave me." Lydia said grabbing onto his sleeve.

"Don't worry Babes, I won't leave you." He said giving her a kiss on her forehead. She laid back down and yelled as another contraction took over.

"How far apart are they Junior?" His mother asked holding a large basin of hot water and several towels.

"I don't know Ma, a couple of minutes I guess." He said. She just nodded and went to take care of Lydia. Beetlejuice looked at his mother, she was so calm like she knew exactly what was going on.

"Why don't you go out and wait with your father Junior." She said gently. Beetlejuice just shook his head.

"I have to be there for Lyds, she needs me Ma." He said and she nodded. He reached to grab Lydia's hand and she squeezed it so hard she was crushing his bones together.

"She's so close, Lydia why didn't you tell me you've been having labor pains all day?" Bea asked. Lydia lifted her head off of the pillow. Her hair was already plastered to her head with sweat.

"I didn't know until about an hour ago. I just thought it was more cramps." She said. "They weren't bothering me." Bea sighed and nodded. She could understand that Lydia didn't know. This was a whole new experience for her.

Lydia felt like it was days of torture. She was out of breath and whimpering as she looked up at Beetlejuice.

"I can't do it anymore Beej, it hurts so much." Her voice was laced with so much pain he flinched hearing her.

"It's just a little bit longer Lydia, you're so close." Bea said. She had worked up her own sweat through the hours. Lydia had been doing hard labor for the past ten hours and they were all exhausted.

"Babes, you can make it, I know you can." Beetlejuice said lifting her hand and kissing it. She shook her head then another contraction took over and she screamed.

"Push Lydia, you have to push." Bea commanded. Lydia did her best, but she was wearing out.

"I can't, I just want to die." She felt so weak, the pain fully taking her over. Beetlejuice gripped her hand tighter.

"Babes, you have to hang on." He said. She looked at him and nodded.

"One more good push should do it Lydia." Bea said. Lydia pushed harder than she ever thought she could and then collapsed. Beetlejuice heard a cry and looked up to see his mother holding up his baby.

"It's a girl." She said happily. Beetlejuice smiled as he saw his daughter wail. He looked at Lydia who had her eyes closed.

"Lyds, we have a daughter." He said kissing her on her sweaty forehead. She forced her eyes open to look at him.

"I'm dying Beej, I'm sorry." She whispered and closed her eyes again.

"No, Babes...Lydia you can't. I need you, I can't make it without you." He felt like someone kicked him in the stomach. He dropped to his knees, tears pouring out of him and down his face. "You can't die Lydia. It's not your time to die yet. I can feel it." He said against her chest.

Lydia heard a voice from far away, but she couldn't hear what they were saying. She felt so weak and ready to give up, but that voice kept getting stronger and stronger. She forced her eyes open. Everything was fuzzy, but she could make out the outline of Beetlejuice. She felt herself smile and reach out to him.

Beetlejuice wanted to shout he was so happy she opened her eyes. She was going to live, he felt her heartbeat getting stronger as she looked at him. He thought he'd lost her. He didn't want his daughter to grow up living with two dead parents. Bea held up their daughter and gave her to Lydia. Lydia took her child in her arms and cradled her.

"She's so beautiful Beej. What should we name her?" She asked weakly.

"How about Breana." Beetlejuice said looking at his daughter. She had a swirl of jet black hair on the top of her head.

"Mmm that's beautiful, what does it mean?"

"It means noble and strong, just like her mother." He said giving Lydia a kiss. She smiled and wanted to fall asleep. He slowly picked up his daughter and held her. "She looks just like her mother." He said as he held her. Lydia smiled and closed her eyes. "I wish my father, even Delia were here." She said before she fell asleep. Beetlejuice held his daughter until she fell asleep. He snapped his fingers and conjured up a bassinet for her. He walked down the stairs where his parents were.

"How is Lydia doing?" Bea asked when she saw her son.

"She's doing good, she's sleeping, so is Breana." He said smiling like the proud papa he was. He saw the relief visible on his parent's faces.

"Breana, that's a pretty name, suits her." Bea said and Gnat nodded in agreement.

"I'm going out for a little bit, make sure that they're okay. I'll be back soon." He said and headed for the door.

"Where are you going son?" Gnat asked.

"To see if I can get a few people over here." He said over his shoulder and walked out.


	15. Amends

Beetlejuice flew back to the Roadhouse and burst in.

"Mon Dieu!" Jacques said startled. "Bea-ttlejuice we 'aven't seen you et Lydia for months. Where 'ave you been n'est-ce pas?" He asked.

"Yeah, what's happening, we were worried sick." Ginger said.

"Lydia gave birth to a girl, she's perfect, her name is Breana." He said in a hurry as he rushed into his bedroom.

"Wait Bea-ttlejuice!" Jacques called.

"Busy Jacques, it'll have to wait." He yelled back into the Living-Dead room. He looked into the mirror and could have wept with joy when he saw Chuck in her mirror. He was sitting on her bed and holding a picture of her.

"Hey Chuck don't freak!" Beetlejuice said before Charles could even look up. He looked into the mirror and saw the ghost that had taken his daughter away. He wasn't afraid, but very angry.

"You!" He yelled.

"Look, I don't have time for this. Lydia had her baby and she wants to see both you and Delia." Beetlejuice yelled back. Charles took a second before he understood.

"Lydia had her baby? She's okay?" He asked.

"Yes and yes, does Delia want to see her?"

"I think so, let me get her." Charles said and dashed from his daughter's room. "Delia," He screamed.

"What is it Charles?" She asked from the kitchen. He ran in the room faster than he thought was possible.

"It's Lydia, she had her baby. Come on, let's go." He said pulling her arm.

"Wait Charles, do we really want to see her? I mean, after what she did,"

"Delia, she's my daughter and she needs us. I know you love her too. It's time to put the pride away and go see her." He said forcefully. Delia took a moment, surprised at Charles forcefulness. She had never seen him like this. Deep down she had missed the little gothic girl that she had raised. She swallowed her pride and nodded. They raced back up to Lydia's room where Beetlejuice had been pacing back and forth waiting for them to come back.. When he saw them burst into the room he nearly cried with relief.

"Okay so how do we get over there?" Charles asked.

"First you need to know my name, my real name." He said.

"Okay, what is it?" Delia asked.

"I can't tell you."

"But,"

"Can you play charades?"

"Of course." Charles said.

"Good, it's," Beetlejuice snapped and made a large beetle and a glass of orange juice appear. Delia and Charles looked at the objects and both turned their heads to the side.

"Beetle..orange?" Delia asked. Beetlejuice shook his head, desperate.

"Beetle...juice?" Charles asked.

"Yes!" Beetlejuice said. "Now say though I know I should be weary."

"Though I know I should be weary." Delia and Charles said in unison.

"Still I venture someplace scary."

"Still I venture someplace scary." Delia reached out to grab Charles' hand.

"Ghostly Hauntings I turn loose."

"Ghostly Hauntings I turn loose."

"Now say my name three times." Beetlejuice said. Delia and Charles looked at each other.

"Beetle...juice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice." They stammered. In the next instant they were in the room with Beetlejuice.

"Great, we don't have a lot of time so let's go." He said heading for the door.

"Wait, you mean Lydia isn't here?" Delia asked.

"No, she's at my parents house." Beetlejuice said motioning them to follow him. They walked hand in hand after him and Charles let out a startled cry when he saw the skeleton and giant spider.

"Bea-ttlejuice, what is going on?" Jacques demanded.

"Look, I don't have time for this, just come along." He said running a hand through his hair making it stand on end. They all just nodded mutely. Charles and Delia sat huddled together while they were in the car.

Once they had arrived back at Beetlejuice's parents house they had become a bit more relaxed. He opened the door to see his father sitting on the couch.

"There you are." Gnat said. "We wondered what took you so long."

"Pops, this is Charles and Delia, Lyd's parents." He said. Gnat got up and extended his hand.

"You have a very special daughter." He said. Charles looked up at the huge ghost and slowly put out his hand.

"Thank you."

"Is Lyds still asleep?" Beetlejuice asked.

"Yes, your mother just went up to go check on her." Beetlejuice nodded and motioned for Charles and Delia to come up. "You two stay here for a moment." He said to Jacques and Ginger. They nodded and sat down with Gnat. Beetlejuice slowly opened the door and walked in.

"Junior, where'd you go?" Bea asked then she saw Charles and Delia slowly walk in after him she understood.

"Hi I'm Bea, Junior's mother." She said holding out her hand. They grasped the small woman's hand and looked at Lydia who was sleeping soundly. "You're granddaughter's over there, she's the image of Lydia." She said before stepping out of the room. Charles and Delia looked over at the small basinet and peaked inside. There was a pale little girl, sleeping soundly. Charles felt like it was deja-vu she looked so much like Lydia when she was born.

"Lyds, Babes someone's here to see you." Beetlejuice said softly stroking her hair. Lydia slowly opened her eyes and smiled to see Beetlejuice next to her. He nodded his head over and she turned to see her father and Delia standing next to the bed. She smiled and slowly lifted herself up.

"I didn't think you guys would come." She said. Charles bent down and hugged his daughter so hard she squeaked.

"We've missed you so much Lydia." He said.

"I've missed you guys too." She said as she hugged her father. Delia stood next to the bed. Lydia reached out her hand to hold her stepmother's. "Both of you." She said looking at Delia.

"Oh Lydia, I know that I haven't been the best to you, I was trying to mold you into what I thought you should be. I know that you aren't that and I'm sorry." She said crumbling. Lydia nodded and when her father let her go, she hugged Delia.

"I know Delia, it's all right." She said. Beetlejuice lifted his small daughter so Charles and Delia could see her.

"This is Breana, your new granddaughter." He said, his chest puffing out with pride. Delia broke her hug with Lydia and went to take her granddaughter from Beetlejuice.

"She's absolutely gorgeous Lydia." The small baby opened her eyes and began to cry. Lydia just laughed and held out her arms.

"I suppose she's hungry now. If you don't mind I'd like some privacy." She said to her father and Delia. They nodded and backed out of the room.

"We'll see you in a little bit Pumpkin." Charles said. Lydia nodded and took Breana from Delia. Beetlejuice shut the door quietly after they left and looked at his new daughter and her mother.

"What a day huh?" She said lifting her shirt so her daughter could eat.

"Can't even begin to describe it. Jacques and Ginger are downstairs as well. They're dying to see you." He said sitting on the bed next to her. "Lydia, I love you so much,"

"I love you too Beej."

"Wait a sec Lyds," He said holding up his hand. She nodded. "I always knew I wanted to do this, but I thought now was as good of time as any." He said and reached for her hand. "Lydia will you marry me, make us a real family?" He said and held out a platinum ring that held one perfect emerald cut ruby surrounded by sparkling diamonds that spilled out into a 'V' and traveled down the sides of the ring. Lydia smiled and pulled him into her.

"Oh Beej, it's beautiful. Yes, of course I'll marry you Beej, I've been hoping forever that you'd ask me." She said. He slide the ring onto her finger and sighed with relief and touched his forehead to hers. They sat there, father, mother and daughter and timed seemed to stop.


	16. Epilogue

This is it peoples!!! The end, phew...It's been a long road and I honestly didn't know how it was going to end up when I started it. I'm very happy with what unfolded throughout the chapters. I gave the reason why I titled this story "Desire" in the epilogue. My inspiration for this story came from the song "Desire" by Ryan Adams. I think it's a very cool song and check it out, you might like it too. Again, as always, please review. I love hearing what people have to say, good or bad let me know :) I hope you enjoyed reading my story and I look forward to hearing from you!

* * *

"I now pronounce you man and wife." The preacher said. Beetlejuice leaned in and lifted the black veil that covered Lydia's face. He leaned it and touched his lips to hers, not hearing the roar of the crowd.

When they parted Beetlejuice just stared at Lydia in the full moon. She was dressed in a strapless black wedding dress, a simple black veil covering her black hair. She parted her ruby lips in a smile and touched his face. He smiled back at her and took her hand as they faced the crowd. Delia sat in the front, tears pouring down her cheeks as she held Breana who had woken up and was cranky. Lydia laughed and held out her arms for her daughter. All of their friends from the Neitherworld plus Delia, Charles, Meghan, Prudence and Bertha were there. Lydia had finally broken down and told them the truth just a few days before.

"I always knew there was something off about Mr. Beetleman." Prudence said and shook her head. As soon as they saw Breana and melted on the spot, instantly forgiving Lydia for the secret she kept, understanding. She felt wonderful as she cuddled her daughter and joined the party. Lydia danced with her new husband and their daughter under the moonlight to the song Desire by Ryan Adams. She knew that her life was perfect and would remain that way forever. She leaned it and kissed Beetlejuice softly and full of love. He took their daughter from her and held her in his strong arms.

When Lydia tossed her black magic rose bouquet over her shoulder she heard the high pitched screams as the women dove for it. When she turned back she nearly fell over laughing when Prudence came up, beat red and holding the flowers.

"What a night." Lydia said after everyone had left. Delia and Charles had taken Breana for a few days so Lydia and Beetlejuice could have a honeymoon.

"Yes, it was perfect." He said coming up from behind her and kissing her neck. She sighed and wrapped her arm around his neck.

"Yes it was, I'll be right back." She said slowly getting up and walking toward the bathroom.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"I'm changing." She said over her shoulder. Beetlejuice loosened his black tie and lounged in the bed waiting for her to emerge. He suddenly had an image of the first time she'd come to him in the night, just over a year ago. So much had changed since then it was hard to believe they were the same people. Now not only did they have the most beautiful daughter in both the real world and the Neitherworld, but now they were married and a true family. He smiled to himself.

"What are you smiling at?" Lydia asked. Beetlejuice turned to see Lydia in the doorframe. She was wearing a black silk gown that had a slit up to her upper thigh and lace details on the sides revealing her creamy white skin. Beetlejuice almost swallowed his tongue when she walked toward him.

"You Babes, you are gorgeous. Did I tell you that yet today?" He said. She smiled and sat on his lap.

"Only about a thousand times." She said and leaned in to kiss him. She looked at her husband and sighed. She never seen a sexier man in her life. He was everything she ever wanted and so much more. She wasn't able to think about him for long because he picked her up and tossed her on the bed. Lydia giggled and opened her arms for him. He leaned down and kissed her deeply.

"I love you Mrs. Juice." He whispered in her mouth.

"I love you Mr. Juice." She whispered back. He took her jeweled hand with his own and laced their fingers together. Leaning in he kissed his wife and knew they were going to be happy for eternity.


End file.
